This invention relates to stoppers for individual beverage containers and in particular to stoppers that position a straw in an individual beverage container.
Individual beverage containers such as bottles and cartons have been popular for many years. They provide an easy storage and carrying container for a beverage. The individual bottle provides one serving for the user. Similarly, a carton with a side opening may provide one serving for the user. The serving would be comparable to a large glass of the beverage. Such containers are advantageous in a number of settings because they provide one serving of the beverage and a container therefore. Originally after use the bottle was thrown away. More recently these bottles are recyclable. Similarly many of the carton type containers may be recycled.
Most individual juice bottles sold in North America are wide-mouthed bottles, that is the mouth of the bottle is larger than one would typically find on a pop-type bottle. The disadvantage of the wide-mouthed bottles is that drinking may be somewhat problematic. Specifically, the wide mouth is generally too wide to put one""s mouth around entirely and yet too narrow to allow one to drink from it in a manner used when drinking from a cup.
Carton type beverage containers with gable tops are well known. The top closure is formed by folding the top portion of the sides inwardly with a crease down the centre thereof and folding the top front and back portion inwardly until they meet and then gluing the front, back and sides together to form a top closure. These tops are traditionally opened by breaking the seal of one half of the top closure and folding outwardly the top portion of one of the sides to form a spout. Often it is difficult to break the seal thereby damaging the cardboard around the spout. Further once a gable top is opened in this manner it may be closed thereafter but not sealed. Accordingly more recently some beverage containers with a gable top are provided with a side pour spout that is positioned on one side of the gable top. The side pour spout is generally cylindrical and has a flange, resealable threaded neck and top. The gable type cartons have similar advantages as the individual bottle beverage containers but they also have the same disadvantages with regard to drinking straws.
In order to address this problem drinking straws are frequently available at the point of purchase. The use of a drinking straw reduces the chance of accidentally spilling the beverage while drinking. In addition young people seem to find drinking easier and more fun when using a straw.
Although straws are often made available at the point of purchase this is not typically the case when the beverage is sold at a vending machine. Further, retailers may run out of the straws before they run out of the beverage. In addition, where the consumer does not drink the beverage directly after purchasing it, the straw may be lost or damaged. Further, where the consumer does not drink the entire beverage at one time, if removed, the straw can become lost or can contaminate the consumer""s other packages.
Some bottles which provide straws therein have been suggested. For example U.S. Pat. No. 2,748,968 issued to Attler on Jun. 5, 1956, U.S. Pat. No. 3,746,197 issued to Sather on Jul. 17, 1973 and U.S. Pat. No. 2,432,132 issued to Allen on Dec. 9, 1947 each shows a bottle with a straw therein. Each of these has a straw which extends above the mouth of the bottle and a cap which is modified to allow the straw to extend above the mouth of the bottle even when the cap is in position. The straw shown in the Allen patent extends out of the mouth of the bottle and then is wrapped around the neck of the bottle. In addition the Allen patent shows a small straw positioned adjacent to the straw and provides an air vent therefor.
Another prior art jar that has been suggested is U.S. Pat. No. 2,175,735 issued to Banks on Oct. 10, 1939. The Banks patent shows a jar which includes a dish which is positioned in the mouth of the jar and which holds such elements as a spoon, a fork or a straw. The dish has a laterally extending flange which rests on the mouth of the jar or an inner lip thereof. The dish is provided with an aperture and a collar or neck to hold the spoon, fork or straw. The dish is not securely positioned in the mouth of the jar rather it merely rests on the mouth of the jar. Further, the cap of the jar must be modified to accommodate the dish positioned in the mouth of the jar.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,052,307 issued to Kennedy on Aug. 25, 1936 shows another prior art beverage container and dispenser. The Kennedy patent shows a container which is preferably made from waterproof or waxed paper. The container includes a pair of long straws which extend through the cap of the container. A pair of telescoping small straws is positioned in the cap and each long straw extends through one of the small straws such that it can freely move up and down. Each long straw has a closure cap or small cork.
Another prior art beverage container is suggested in U.S. Pat. No. 3.291,331 issued to Grisham et al. on Dec. 13, 1966. The Grisham et al. patent shows a flexible straw holder. The straw holder is positioned in the neck of the beverage container. The straw holder includes a lower highly flexible portion having the straw positioned therein and an upper portion which snugly fits in the neck of the beverage container. The straw holder has a closed position wherein the upper end of the straw is below the mouth of the beverage container and an in use position wherein the upper end of the straw extends above the mouth of the beverage container. An object of this invention is that when the beverage container is opened the gas pressure will force the straw into the in use position.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,844,267 issued to Petriccione on Jul. 22, 1958 shows a combined drinking straw and bottle cap. The bottle cap includes a gasket with the straw positioned therein, a crown portion with a slot formed therein and liner. The cap is not removable and replaceable. Rather a portion of the liner is torn back to provide access to the straw.
Another prior art patent is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,568,870 issued to Elston on Mar. 9, 1971. The Elston patent shows a plastic bottle with a cup positioned in the mouth thereof and crimped thereto. The cup is made of foil or other suitable material which would allow it to be crimped to the mouth of the bottle. The cup has an aperture formed therein for receiving a straw. The enlarged aperture allows the user to pour the contents of the bottle into a receptacle without removing the straw if the user so chooses.
Most of these prior art containers have a similar disadvantage and that is that they would be difficult to incorporate into the highly automated bottling process that is generally used today. For example many of the prior art jars discussed above would require the cap to be modified and this in turn might require the machine that attaches the cap to be modified as well. Some of the straw holders are not secured in the neck of the bottle and thus will not minimize spillage if the beverage container is knocked over. Alternatively some of the straw holders do not have the straw securely positioned therein and therefore allow liquid to seep out around the straw if the beverage container is knocked over.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to provide a container with a straw already therein which is readily accessible and easy to use. Similarly it would be advantageous to provide a container with a stopper therein which minimizes the chance of spillage while drinking. Further, it would be advantageous to provide a stopper that would not interfere with the sealing mechanisms of existing jars and that could be easily incorporated into the automatic bottling process currently generally being used.
The present invention provides a stopper for use with an individual beverage container or the like. The stopper has a generally tubular side wall with an upper edge and a lower edge. The side wall is dimensioned to fit snugly in the neck of the beverage container with a pressure fit. A bottom extends inwardly from the side wall. A flat upper portion is integrally attached to the bottom and is spaced upwardly from the bottom. An aperture is formed in the bottom or the flat upper portion. In addition, a vent hole may be formed in the bottom or the flat upper portion. Preferably the flat upper portion is spaced from the side walls thereby forming a trough therebetween. Preferably the aperture is formed in the bottom and dimensioned to receive a straw snugly therethrough. Preferably the flat upper portion is divided into a first and a second upper portion with a channel therebetween, with the channel being contiguous with the aperture and dimensioned to receive an upper portion of the straw when in a stowed position.
In another aspect of the invention a stopper is provided for use with an individual beverage container and a straw. The stopper has a generally tubular side wall. The side wall has an upper edge and a lower edge and the side wall is dimensioned to fit snugly in the neck of the beverage container with a pressure fit. The upper edge of the stopper is generally in one plane. A bottom extends inwardly from the side wall. An aperture is formed in the bottom and is dimensioned to receive the straw snugly therein. A sleeve contiguous with the aperture extends downwardly therefrom and is dimensioned to receive the straw snugly therein. A vent hole may be formed in the bottom. The stopper may include a channel contiguous with the aperture for receiving the upper portion of the straw, wherein the channel is generally parallel to and spaced below the plane of the upper edge of the side wall.
In a further aspect of the invention a stopper is provided for use with an individual beverage container or the like. The stopper has a generally tubular side wall. The side wall has an upper edge and a lower edge and the side wall is dimensioned to fit snugly in the neck of the beverage container with a pressure fit. A bottom extends inwardly from the side wall. A flat upper portion is integrally attached to the bottom and spaced upwardly from the bottom. An aperture is formed between the side wall and the beverage container and a vent hole may be formed between the side wall and the beverage container.
The drinking straw would be provided inside the beverage container with a holder or stopper that supports the straw in the stowed and drinking positions; reduces the risk of accidental spills from the open container either when handling or drinking; and allows the straw to be restowed and the container recapped for intermittent use. An adhesive patch could be attached to the straw to draw the straw from the stowed to drinking position. A vent hole in the bottom of the holder would allow atmospheric pressure into the container while allowing beverage that may be present above the holder to drain back into the container. The straw, holder and patch would occur as a preassembled unit, ready for insertion into the beverage container at the time of container filling and capping. When inserted into the container, the assembly would be held in place in the container by means of a press fit between the holder and the interior of the neck of the container.
As a modification to the holder previously described, a server is suggested. The server would be provided inside the beverage container, held in place by means of a press fit.between the server and the interior of the neck of the container. The server would assist the drinking process by providing a directed and regulated flow of beverage from the container through a drinking opening when the beverage is consumed in the familiar manner by a consumer, serving a purpose analogous to a lid with a drinking opening and vent hole for a disposable coffee cup, where the beverage is made available at the drinking opening upon tipping the container toward the consumer""s mouth, while providing a good measure of spill resistance from the open beverage container. At the same time, the drinking opening in the server would be of a size to accept a drinking straw that a consumer could provide, if available, allowing alternative consumption of the beverage through the drinking straw.
A feature of this invention is to provide a hygienic mechanism for bringing the drinking straw from the stowed position into the drinking position with the least amount of contact and effort by the consumer.
A further feature of this invention is to provide a mechanism that minimizes leakage should an upset open container occur, while also minimizing the leakage associated with handling and drinking from an open container.
A further feature of this invention is to provide a mechanism that allows the straw to be returned to the stowed position from the drinking position and vice versa several times, conveniently by the consumer.
A further feature of the invention is to provide a means for easily removing the drinking straw from the container if so desired by the consumer.
Yet a further feature of this invention is to provide such a device that is recyclable.
Further features of the invention will become apparent in the course of the following description.